Chicago City Wire

Illinois has experienced a significant population decrease, with over 75% of its cities, towns, and villages losing residents in 2023. Chicago was the most affected city, shedding 8,202 inhabitants last year, as revealed by data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Illinois Policy Institute's analysis indicates that if these demographic trends persist, Houston will surpass Chicago to become America's third-largest city by 2035. Among the nation's major cities, Chicago had the third-highest decrease in population, only surpassed by New York and Philadelphia. This decline brings Chicago's total loss to over 82,000 residents since the 2020 census.

In terms of city size:

- Small communities with fewer than 10,000 residents lost population at a rate of -2.7 per 1,000 residents. These include Itasca, Sauk Village and Monmouth.

- Communities with between 10,000 and 25,000 residents that saw a decline included Kankakee, Morton Grove and Carbondale. The average departure rate was -1.7 per 1,000 residents.

- Mid-sized communities with populations ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 also experienced a decrease. Belleville, Urbana and Wilmette were among these communities with an average loss rate of -.097 per 1,000 residents.

- Cities with populations between 50,000 to 100,000 such as Waukegan, Cicero and Decatur witnessed departures at a rate of -5.2 residents per 1,000 people on average – the fastest rate of population decline.

- Large cities with over 100,000 residents that lost inhabitants included Aurora, Rockford and Springfield. On average they lost at a rate of -2.5 per 1,000 people.

Bryce Hill from the Illinois Policy Institute stated: “Migration slowed nationwide following surges in state-to-state moves during the pandemic, but still Chicago had the third-largest population loss in 2023. At this rate, Chicago only has about a decade left as the nation’s third-largest city.” He added that residents are deeply concerned about crime, migrant spending and taxes in Chicago. "Unless the city and state make major changes, Illinois will continue to lose residents and businesses – worsening the financial problems for those residents unable to leave.”

Illinois is unique among its neighboring states in experiencing population loss. Data indicates that residents are relocating to states with lower taxation, such as Florida and Texas.

For more information on Illinois’ outmigration crisis, visit illin.is/2023losses.